Mr. Un Siren , Vice Chief of Special Education Office (SEO), Primary Education Department (PED)

1. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN CAMBODIA: PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES;2nd Annual Forum of SEAMEO Member countries and Associate Member; Danang City, Viet Nam, 18-20 October, 2011 Mr. Un Siren, Vice Chief of Special Education Office (SEO), Primary Education Department (PED) Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS) Kingdom of Cambodia

2. Outline I-International and National Standards and Policy Framework II-Ministry Initiative and Provisions III-Best Practices IV-Challenges V-Future Directions VI-Conclusion

3. I-International and National Standards and Policy Framework International context: Royal Government of Cambodia is signatory to and has expressed support for: • 2008 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) • 2006 Bangkok Statement on Achieving Rights-based

4. 2003 Biwako Millennium Framework for Action • 1994 Salamanca Statement on Special Needs Education • Education for All by 2015 • In Cambodia includes all traditionally excluded and vulnerable groups, such as girls, poor children, children from ethnic and linguistic minorities, children with disabilities, children living in remote areas, and orphaned, sick or trafficked children etc.

5. National Policy Framework: • Constitution • Education Law, 2007 • Law on the Protection and the Promotion of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2009 • National Policy and Master Plan on Education for Children with Disabilities, 2008/2009 • National Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities, including Landmine Survivors 2009

6. Education Law Article 39 (Rights of disabled learners) states that disable learners have the same rights as able learners and have separate special rights: Disabled learners of either sex have the right to study with able learners if there is sufficient facilitation in the study process Disabled learners who are not able to learn with able learners, even with facilitation, have separate special classes at community schools in their locality.

7. Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Ministry of Education should encourage disabled students to be in regular education classrooms and integrated classrooms (Article 28) and students with appropriate supports (Article 29)

8. II-Ministry Initiative and Provisions • CFS Policy was approved in March, 2007 • School Mapping Policy was approved in 2007 • Policy was approved in March, 2008 • Master Plan was approved in September, 2009

9. -National Policy on Education of CWD, 2008 • Increase awareness and acceptance of disabilities among communities, relevant institutions and stakeholders • Provide early identification and intervention to all children with disabilities from birth to five years • Provide quality education, life skills for disabilities equitably and effectively • Increase enrollment, promotion and survival rates in schools

10. -National Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities, including Landmine Survivors 2009 (NPA) NPA for PWDs, Landmine Survivors was approved in 2009 (Part 4: Psychological support and social reintegration) • Raising communities awareness of disabilities • Improving access for CWDs in schools • Teachers/trainers training on Inclusive Education • Inclusive educational services for deaf and blind • Increase the uptake of sport by PWDs

11. Provision: Integrated Classrooms

12. Extent of Inclusive in Schools

13. Special Education Services Rabbit School • Limited educational services for children with disabilities began in mid-1990s as special schools • All run by NGOs

14. III-Best Practices • Focus on integrated and inclusive classes instead of special schools through teachers training • Awareness-raising and dissemination of information on inclusive education for children with disabilities • Media campaigns on disability awareness raising and prevention: brochures, TV, radio spots and P posters

15. Prevalence study for identification and referral of out of school children, including children with disabilities. • Determine prevalence of out of school children, including CWDs • Develop systematic process of data collection in EMIS for planning purposes

16. Focus on Inclusive and Integrated Classes through Teacher Training • Training teachers on basic IE • Developing specialized curriculum with NGOs

17. IV-Challenges • Critical shortage of teachers in regular education affects availability of qualified teachers trained in inclusive education or in specialized courses • Limited financial resources: Some schools either have no ramps or accessible toilets or the ramps are not built to universal design specifications.

18. V-Future Directions Specialized courses Systematic identification and referral of CWD Awareness-Raising and Attitude Change

19. VI-Conclusion • Some constraint: • Families cooperation • Shortage of resources • High number of PWDs • Ministry strategies: • IE program • Reaching the un-reached • Collaboration

20. Thank you Inclusive Education in Cambodia: Practices and Initiatives